Northern Colorado
First-Place Cal Poly Visits Northern Colorado Saturday on ESPN+
10/15/2026 12:33:00 PM | Football
- Kickoff from Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colo., is 5 p.m. PT, streaming live on ESPN+ HERE.
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- Making the trip to Greeley and need tickets? Snag yours HERE.
SAN LUIS OBISPO – One of four teams occupying a share of first place atop the Big Sky Conference standings, the Cal Poly football program completes a two-game road stretch when visiting Northern Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff from Nottingham Field is 5 p.m. PT (6 p.m. MT) on ESPN+ for Cal Poly (4-3, 3-1), whose three Big Sky victories have been achieved by nine total points – including Saturday’s 25-24, come-from-behind triumph at No. 16 Idaho State. The Mustangs, who feature three of the Big Sky’s top four tacklers, share the conference podium with No. 7 Montana (5-2, 3-1), No. 8 Northern Arizona (5-2, 3-1) and Weber State (4-3, 3-1). Looking to snap a two-game slide Saturday, 11th-place Northern Colorado (2-5, 1-3) averages just 23.0 points per game – the second lowest total in the Big Sky. With Cal Poly seeking a third Big Sky road win in a season for the first time since 2013, here’s the complete rundown for week No. 8.
GRIGSBY CEMENTS PLACE UNDER CENTER
Named Mustang starting quarterback the day of Cal Poly’s 38-34, season-opening victory against Idaho (Aug. 28), Anthony Grigsby, Jr., accounted for all five of Cal Poly’s touchdowns and 319 passing yards versus the Vandals to earn Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week praise. He then averaged 206 passing yards per Cal Poly’s next five matchups – including a 249-yard effort at FBS San Jose State (Sept. 12). Having emerged as one of the top FCS offensive threats, Grigsby ranks sixth nationally with 16 passing touchdowns, 20th with 1,557 passing yards (exceeding his 2025 total after 13 quarters this fall), 21st with 126 total completions and 38th with 222.4 passing yards per game. Responsible for 116 of Cal Poly’s 207 points this season (56.0 percent), Grigsby has thrown just five interceptions in 208 attempts thus year.
THE GREEN ZONE
The national FCS leader with 171.7 all-purpose yards per game, junior running back Jaden Green also ranks fifth with 118.7 rushing yards per outing. Averaging 153.5 rushing yards during the last four games – including a 269-yard effort at Eastern Washington (Sept. 26) – Green has rushed for a pair of touchdowns in two of Cal Poly’s last three matchups. An offseason transfer from Lehigh and Cal Poly’s primary kick returner, Green’s six total touchdowns this season leads the Mustangs.
OLSON BACK IN BUSINESS
The Big Sky’s second leading tackler last fall, fifth-year linebacker Kenny Olson enters Saturday’s matchup at Northern Colorado occupying the top spot and ranked fifth among FCS players with 69 total tackles. Producing a career best 16-tackle performance at Eastern Washington (Sept. 26), Olson also ranks 13th nationally with 9.9 tackles per game. Providing Cal Poly three of the Big Sky’s top seven tacklers, Olson ranks 16th in program history with 264 career tackles.
MILLER TIME
Backed by a career high 12-tackle performance at San Jose State (Sept. 12), 11 versus San Diego (Sept. 19) at 10 at No. 16 Idaho State, senior defensive back RL Miller leads the nation with 40 solo tackles and ranks 23rd with 58 total tackles. An offseason transfer from Fresno State, Miller has also picked off a team best three passes this year.
BIG PLAY TAY
With not one (Aug. 28 versus Idaho) but two (Sept. 26 at Eastern Washington) game-winning touchdown receptions in the final minute this season, junior wide receiver Tayvion McCoy enters Saturday’s matchup at Northern Colorado ranked eighth among FCS players with 39 receptions, 10th among with 568 total receiving yards and 20th with 81.1 receiving yards per game. Only five Big Sky players have caught more touchdown passes than McCoy, who shares the program reception scoring lead with senior Fidel Pitts. An offseason transfer from Ventura College, McCoy finished with a collegiate best 170 receiving yards during his Aug. 28 Cal Poly debut.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Cal Poly’s seven games this season have been decided by an average of 5.3 points per contest. Cal Poly’s four wins? Just 4.0. The largest lead held by any team through seven games was Cal Poly’s 24-7 third-quarter advantage against Central Washington (Sept. 5). The seven games have also included 18 total lead changes.
SACK PACK
Only one Big Sky program – Weber State (17) – has produced more sacks than Cal Poly (15) with junior Jalonn Booth ranked 23rd nationally with 4.5 sacks and sophomore Kaleb Pleis 26th at 4.0.
MUSTANGS BACK ON THE BALLOT
A 25-24 victory at Idaho State (Oct. 10) earned the Mustangs a position back in the national spotlight with Cal Poly receiving 22 votes in the Oct. 12 edition of Stats Perform Top 25 Poll (82 behind No. 25 Yale) and seven votes in AFCA Coaches Poll (31 behind No. 25 Northern Iowa).
CAL POLY VERSUS NORTHERN COLORADO
The Mustangs have won three straight matchups against the Bears and nine of 10 at the Division I/FCS level. The two programs last met on Sept. 28, 2024 in Greeley, Colo., with Cal Poly prevailing, 28-7.
LOOKING AHEAD (SATURDAY, OCT. 24)
Cal Poly faces Utah Tech for the first time when hosting the Trailblazers on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. on ESPN+. The Mustangs have faced the Utah Tech program just once prior, delivering a 44-14 home win against then-Dixie State on Oct. 24, 2009.
